PAGES

SEARCH

SOCIAL ICONS

7 PLACES TO VISIT IN: Southern France

Ever dreamt
of spending your summer in the French Riviera? Or even better: around the
entire southern coast of France? Once you decide to pay a visit there during
summer, or any other season for that matter, here are seven places worth a
visit!

- Bormes-les-Mimosas

Whenever
you’re in southern France and you’re staying near Toulon or Saint Tropez, you
should definitely pay a visit to this little village called Bormes-les-Mimosas.
The village is known as one of the finest villages in that region, especially
because of the beautiful Mimosa that blooms there (and where the village also
derives its name from). You can surely spend a whole day in this tiny little
village discovering all these cute little shops and galleries, climbing up the
mountain for the most amazing views or relaxing at one of the many cafes that
you can find there. If you want to visit a typical southern France village,
Bormes-les-Mimosas is the place to go!

- Hyères (+ Giens/La Madrague)

So, Hyères is a small town close to Toulon. Nothing special you’d say when you Google it. But there’s a lot of great architecture to discover, old and new, and the beaches there are amazing. Also, there’s a lot to see and visit in the nearby area, like Le Lavandou, L’île de Porquerolles and Giens. And if you want to cross ‘see flamingos in the wild’ off your bucket list but don’t want to travel to some far away tropical island, then the peninsula of Hyères is the place to go!

- Nice

Probably a
pretty well-known city in southern France, but really worth a visit. There’s a
lot to see, like the Promenade des Anglais, the Russian cathedral, Place
Masséna and the Matisse museum. If you only have one day to discover the city,
you can also rent a bike or even take a bike tour through the city. And if you
decide to visit Nice, make sure you also pay a visit to Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild. It’s sort of like a small Versailles
but then in southern France!

- Cannes

Cannes is a
city close by Nice and probably known for the annual Cannes Film Festival, its
association with the rich and famous and its luxury hotels and restaurants
(where you’ll be paying around 15 euros for a small cup of coffee). Thereby the
city is like a little Hollywood, with its own version of the Walk of Fame. But
Cannes also has some amazing beaches and you’d definitely want to pay a visit
to the Carlton Hotel, probably one of the most prestigious hotels of southern France.

- Monaco & Monte Carlo

Monaco’s
sort of like a microstate with its own monarch located in southern France,
close by Italy. The state is well-known for its beaches and casinos. Monte
Carlo is the largest district of Monaco and houses the big Monte Carlo Casino
and the Hotel de Paris, one of the most exclusive hotels in the world. There
are some famous people living in Monte Carlo and some movies, like James Bond
and Monte Carlo, are partly filmed there. Another fun fact: while Monaco is
originally a state in southern France, more than half of the people living there
are actually Italian!

- Collioure

Collioure
is a really picturesque village close to Spain. The village is originally a Catalan
village, which is why there’s a totally different ambience than in many other
villages in southern France. The village used to be a great inspiration for
artists such as Matisse and Picasso, but that’s no wonder since there are lots
of colorful houses, a beautiful lighthouse and castle, many old streets with
cute shops and restaurants and a charming harbor. Here’s a little tip: if you
don’t like many tourists in one place, visit the village in low or shoulder
season. In high season the village attracts lots, LOTS of tourists!

- Montpellier

Last but
not least, Montpellier should not be forgotten. Just like Nice, there’s a lot
to see in Montpellier, like the Place de la Comédie with the Opéra Comédie, the
Porte du Peyrou and the botanical garden. Also, Montpellier is one of the best
student cities in France and perhaps even in all of Europe. The city houses one
of the oldest universities in Europe, there are lots of events and activities
for students and many international students decide to do a semester in
Montpellier!